Canton council approves settlement in police crash with motorcycle

Sept. 12--CANTON -- The city will give $230,000 to a couple on a motorcycle who were struck by a police SUV in 2014.

City Council approved the settlement Monday after an executive session. There was no discussion during the public meeting.

Past reports and the lawsuit detail the June 2014 crash.

John Carpenter was operating a motorcycle westbound on Tuscarawas Street W with his wife, Amber, as passenger. Jeffrey Spahr, of the Canton Police Department, was westbound in the lane to Carpenter's right.

When the operator of a sportbike did a wheelie in a group speeding in the opposite direction, Spahr turned and collided with the Carpenters. The Highway Patrol cited him for an improper lane change.

John and Amber Carpenter filed the lawsuit in late May of last year in Stark County Court of Common Pleas. They cited injuries, medical expenses, loss of income and vehicle damage stemming from the crash.

"They were injured, and council wants to compensate them for their damages and their injuries," Law Director Joseph Martuccio said after Monday's meeting.

The city will pay $125,000 of the settlement and Canton's insurance company, Ohio Plan, will cover the rest in payments between this year and early 2018, he said.

New hire at Water Reclamation Facility

The Council also approved the salary and benefits for Deborah J. Houdeshell, newly hired facilities engineer at the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF).

Houdeshell, who started Monday, most recently worked for MS Consultants in Akron. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering and about 30 years of proffesional experience, according to city documents.

"Im very excited to come to Canton to work at the Water Reclamation Facility with all the improvements and work with the membrane process," she said.

She'll receive five vacation days this year and 10 next year. Service Director William Bartos said her salary will be 97 percent of the full salary of about $88,890, which begins next calendar year.

With an $89 million membrane project continuing at the WRF and upcoming work to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations, the workload has surpassed that doable by one person, according to a memo from Bartos.

Doug Harris has been serving as the sanitary sewer engineer in the Collection Systems Department (CSD) and as facilities engineer at the WRF for an extra $6,500 a year. Harris will lose the stipend and solely work as the CSD's sanitary sewer engineer.

Tracy Mills, superintendent of the WRF, said he was happy to welcome Houdeshell.

"We're extremely pleased to have her talent on board," he said.

Other action

- Approved naming of the new 12th Street bridge in honor of former Stark County Engineer Michael J. Rehfus, Sr. After nearly 30 years of working for the county, which collaborated with the city on 12th Street corridor work, Rehfus died in office in 2009.

More than half a dozen of his family members were present Monday as Stark County Engineer Keith Bennett and Canton City Engineer Dan Moeglin spoke about their decision to name the bridge. Rehfus, a Canton native and a McKinley High School graduate, was described as a people person who dedicated his life to public service.

"This is truly a fitting tribute to Mike," Moeglin said.

- Approved personnel changes to the Building and Code Enforcement Department that increases the number of customer service or administrative clerks allowed from six to eight and reduces the total number of department positions from 25 to 20. The department plans to hire a clerk, according to city documents.

The request was prompted by increased revenue from vacant or non-owner occupied properties registration fees. With several vacant positions filled in the past year, the city has increased the number of code inspections from 1,588 in 2016 to a projected 11,000 this year.

City documents also show an estimated 100 to 150 demolitions this year.

- Held a moment of silence in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001, prior to the regular council meeting and read a statement in commemoration afterward.

Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323

or [email protected]

On Twitter: @kbyerREP

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